Wedding | Taylor & Ryan

Tell us a little about yourselves! 

We met in December of 2021 in San Diego through mutual friends. They would tell you it took a bit of convincing to get us to talk to each other (haha), but since the moment we met, we haven't been apart. We got engaged on a trip to Valle de Guadalupe, one of our favorite places. I am in sales at a beverage company, and Ryan works as a consultant in healthcare. We currently live in San Diego with our Bernedoodle, Otis.

Why did you decide to get married where you did? 

San Diego isn't just where we live; it's the backdrop to our love story. So, when we first stepped into Lou Lou's at Lafayette Hotel to scout wedding venues, it felt like kismet. The space perfectly captured our spirit, effortlessly blending our unique style with a touch of playful tradition. Plus, there's a fun personal connection: Taylor caught the bouquet in that very ballroom as a teenager at a close family friend's wedding! It truly felt like we were meant to say "I do" there.

How many guests did you have? 

We had about 20 of our closest family and friends join us in our private ceremony, where we shared personal vows, had Taylor’s uncle play the guitar as everyone walked down the aisle, passed our rings around, and asked everyone to make a sweet wish for our relationship. 

After that, we jumped right into cocktail hour with the rest of our 180-person party crew!

What was your budget? 

When we first sat down and started the wedding planning process, we knew we wanted to prioritize an experiential celebration. To make sure we stayed within budget, we concentrated on aspects we cared about the most like an epic dance party and killer food. That meant we splurged on the venue 

(Lou Lou's was already perfect, so we just embraced their existing linens, lamps, and dinnerware) and got clever with savings like Etsy signage and flying plates dinner service instead of a more formal sit-down meal. We went with vegetal-focused tablescapes and only did a few larger floral arrangements to save on floral design without losing any visual impact. Best Bud Florals perfectly captured the essence of the venue, and our vision and the best part was that guests got to take home the garlic, lettuce, and various other edible centerpieces!

Tell us about your outfits. 

My look was all about that Aesling Bride gown. After trying on so many dresses with different lace and sequins, I fell in love with the pure, understated elegance that let me shine. I created a more custom ensemble by incorporating removable lace-cuffed sleeves from a different dress, adding a unique touch of modern romance and transforming the silhouette. This allowed for an elegant, demure look for the ceremony, with the sleeves gracefully removed later for an unrestricted party outfit. My veil, a vintage floral lace mantilla veil with an eyelash lace edge, really tied it all together by perfectly matching the lace on my sleeves. And for the finishing touches, point-toe white satin Manolo Blahniks and single pearl drop earrings kept it chic and classic, letting the dress and veil speak volumes. 

Ryan was willing to lean a bit into the irreverent style of the venue, which for him translated into velvet, haha. His tuxedo jacket was black velvet, with a satin strip and lapel. He chickened out of going full velvet, though (his pants were wool). He is always a fan of showing a little ankle, so the pant hem was left high, and he wore a pair of black leather kiltie loafers. No socks - his choice - which turned into the first crisis of the day as he developed massive blisters before we even finished with our pre-ceremony photos. Nothing a band-aid (or two) couldn’t fix!

What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding? 

For us, the most important aspect of planning our wedding was ensuring every detail felt deeply personal and truly centered on us as a couple. We wanted our special day to be an authentic reflection of our journey and connection, and Lafayette Hotel's unique charm and history provided the perfect backdrop for that. Its distinct character resonated with us, making it feel less like a venue and more like an extension of our shared story. Beyond our connection, we also viewed the day as a vibrant celebration of the incredible community surrounding us. We really wanted documentary-style photos that perfectly captured those genuine moments of joy and connection, and Natalie Joy Mitchell

absolutely delivered.

Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate? 

We made sure every detail of our wedding felt deeply personal, ditching convention for what genuinely resonated with us. Case in point: my custom wedding band. I teamed up with Kayge Jewelry to transform my late grandmother's inherited rings into a piece that keeps her close. 

We also worked with Ethereal Thread Co. on a non-traditional welcome sign. Inspired by our venue, it featured our constellations and initials, and the saying "Cor unum et anima una" (one heart, one soul), perfectly encapsulated the heart of our union. This beautiful velvet banner is now proudly displayed in our home and is our favorite wedding keepsake.

Any tips for couples getting married? 

It’s obviously a very important day - your day. The planning will be taxing, and it is so easy to stress yourself out about even the most minor details. While we think it is essential that you make sure to impose your personal touch, at the end of the day, your friends and family are coming to celebrate you and have a good time. There were so many little things that we were stressing out on the day of - things like the timing and organization of the ceremony procession and our bit of choreo during the first dance - that did not go entirely to plan. You know how many people noticed? None. Do your best, roll with the punches, and try to have fun.

Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about? 

Our photographer Natalie Joy Mitchell: Seriously, if you want someone to capture the real, unposed magic of your day, Natalie is your person. Her documentary style was exactly what we envisioned, and looking back, her photos perfectly tell our story, full of genuine moments. 

Molly Alison: Having Molly there as our content creator was a game-changer. She captured all those behind-the-scenes, raw, and candid moments on video that you just don't get with traditional videography. It was amazing to have those immediate, unfiltered memories right after the wedding, like an instant replay of all the fun. We can’t stop watching the magical footage she caught on her vintage camcorder.

Best Bud: Kath at Best Bud truly made all our floral dreams come true! She's an amazing artist who helped us bring our vision to life, and then some. Walking down the aisle, the ceremony space she created literally took my breath away – it was everything I'd dreamed of for our "Lana Del Rey swamp-inspired wedding." We had so much fun planning with her, and she perfectly captured the essence of our wedding with her art. 

Ethereal Thread Co. (Custom Embroidered Wedding Banner): This was a really special detail. We worked with Victoria to create a non-traditional welcome sign that pulled in elements from our venue and also featured our constellations and initials. It's so cool that it's now a piece of art we can hang in our home. 

Kayge Studio: My wedding band is truly one-of-a-kind. I collaborated with Kayla at Kayge Studio to create a custom piece using rings I inherited from my late grandmother. It feels incredibly special to carry a piece of her with me every day. 

Taylor Haupt Makeup & Becca Burdette Hair: These two made me feel absolutely amazing. They really understood the natural, effortless look I was going for, making sure I still felt like myself, just elevated for the big day. 

DJ Dre Motion: We prioritized a killer party vibe, and DJ Dre Motion delivered! The music was spot on, keeping everyone on the dance floor and ensuring the energy was exactly what we wanted. 

These vendors weren't just service providers; they were true partners in bringing our vision to life, and we cannot thank them enough! 

Photographer: Natalie Joy Mitchell @nataliejoymitchell | Planning & Styling: Threshold Events

 @thresholdevents | Flora: Best Bud @bestbudfloral | Content Creator: Molly Alison @bymollyalison | Ceremony Location: Lafayette Hotel @quixotemezcal | Reception Location: Lou Lou’s at Lafayette Hotel @loulousclub | Celebrant: Married by our best friend! | Ceremony Space: Quixote “Light Room” at Lafayette Hotel @quixotemezcal | Makeup: Taylor Haupt Makeup @taylorhauptmakeup | Hair: Becca Burdette Hair @beccaburdette_hairbabe | Cake: Leetsy @leetsy__ | Stationery: Dear Friday Studio | Entertainment: DJ Dre Motion @djdremotion | Custom Embroidered Wedding Banner: Ethereal Thread Co. @etherealthreadco | Dress: Aesling @aeslingbride | Suit: Indochino @indochino | Veil: Wedding Online Stores | Engagement Ring: David & Sons Fine Jeweler @davidandsonsfinejewelers | Wedding Rings: Kayge Studio @kaygestudio | Shoes: Manolo Blahnik